Pin amorphous silicon photovoltaic element with counter-doped intermediate layer

Abstract

A pin type photovoltaic element having an electroconductive substrate and a cell stacked with an n-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor, all composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon, and featuring an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer composed of non-single material containing silicon atoms as the matrix and atoms of elements belonging to Group IIIA and VA of the periodic table is between the i-type conductor layer and the p-type conductor layer or the n-type semiconductor layer. The intermediate layer may contain carbon atoms and/or germanium atoms.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A pin type photovoltaic element comprising an electroconductive substrate and at least a cell comprising a stack of an n-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material, a dopant free i-type semiconductor layer composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as the matrix and hydrogen atoms and a p-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material disposed in this order, said photovoltaic element further comprising an intermediate layer composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as the matrix, and at least (a) atoms of an element belonging to Group IIIA of the periodic table in an amount of at least 1000 atomic ppm, (b) atoms of an element belonging to Group VA of the periodic table in an amount of at least 1000 atomic ppm and (c) hydrogen atoms, said intermediate layer being disposed between said i-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer, or between said i-type semiconductor layer and said n-type semiconductor layer, wherein the amount of said hydrogen atoms contained in said intermediate layer is greater than the amount of the hydrogen atoms contained in said i-type semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       2. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer is substantially intrinsic. 
     
     
       3. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer contains at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atoms and germanium atoms. 
     
     
       4. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate layer is substantially intrinsic. 
     
     
       5. A pin type photovoltaic element comprising an electroconductive substrate and at least a cell comprising a stack of an n-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material, a dopant free i-type semiconductor layer composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as the matrix and hydrogen atoms and a p-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material disposed in this order, said photovoltaic element further comprises an intermediate layer composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as the matrix, and at least (a) atoms of an element belonging to Group IIIA of the periodic table in an amount of at least 1000 atomic ppm, (b) atoms of an element belonging to Group VA of the periodic table in an amount of at least 1000 atomic ppm and (c) carbon atoms, said intermediate layer being disposed between said i-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer, or between said i-type semiconductor layer and said n-type semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       6. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate layer is substantially intrinsic. 
     
     
       7. A pin type photovoltaic element comprising an electroconductive substrate and at least a cell comprising a stack of an n-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material, a dopant free i-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material and a p-type semiconductor layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material disposed in this order, said photovoltaic element further comprises an-intermediate layer composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as the matrix, at least (a) atoms of an element belonging to Group IIIA of the periodic table, (b) atoms of an element belonging to Group VA of the periodic table, (c) carbon atoms and (d) germanium atoms is disposed between said i-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer, or between said i-type semiconductor layer and said n-type semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       8. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer contains said atoms (a) and said atoms (b) respectively in an amount of at least 1000 ppm. 
     
     
       9. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer is substantially intrinsic. 
     
     
       10. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the ratio H 1  /H 2  of the (concentration) of the hydrogen atoms (H 1 ) contained in said intermediate layer to the (concentration) of the hydrogen atoms (H 2 ) contained in said i-type semiconductor layer is in the range of 1.05 to 1.5. 
     
     
       11. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate layer is substantially intrinsic. 
     
     
       12. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate layer further contains at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atoms and germanium atoms. 
     
     
       13. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate layer contains the carbon atoms in an amount of 3 to 30 atomic %. 
     
     
       14. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate layer contains the germanium atoms in an amount of 5 to 70 atomic %. 
     
     
       15. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate layer contains the carbon atoms in an amount of 3 to 30 atomic %. 
     
     
       16. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer contains the carbon atoms and the germanium atoms in a total amount of 5 to 70 atomic %. 
     
     
       17. A pin type photovoltaic element according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate layer contains the carbon atoms and the germanium atoms in a total amount of 5 to 70 atomic %.